Tuesday, August 17, 2010

The Workplace Blahs

Lately I haven’t been feeling as engaged with my work as I have been in the past. Each day feels like it blends into the other with the same staff members arguing over petty things and the same patients (literally – the frequent fliers have been flying in a lot more frequently recently) presenting with the same complaints. It’s humbling and frustrating to know that sometimes no matter how above and beyond my duties I go, I’m quickly brought back down to problems that just can’t be solved. It’s tiring arguing with the same floor about patient transfers, it’s tiring to have to turn away the same drug seeker three times in one shift. It’s tiring to have to work harder and faster to maintain patient flow while being left on the back burner by the rest of the department. Perhaps its summer and seeing people enjoying warm evenings while I trek it inside to the windowless department is getting to me more than I thought but things are definitely feeling – stagnant. I don’t know if I need a new challenge, more responsibilities or another job. I suppose for now I have to get dressed, go to work and give viciously dirty looks to the resident who complained to my charge nurse that I need to “smile more”.

This post is most certainly a downer so I’ll leave a link to Hyperbole and a Half. This site has been providing me with life sustaining laughs during night shifts!

12 comments:

After doing 2 years of agency per diem CNA work, I worked on an Oncology floor at a local hospital for a year and 1/2, and even tho i would have gotten paid a bit more to work extra shifts within my dept or hospital, i continued to pick up at least a few shifts a month at some of the other local hospitals for this very reason. I loved my floor, but i needed more variety and a challenge. (have since worked at 16 different hospitals in the last 5 years, plus a few psych units).

I just got my first RN job at a local hospital (44 bed, tiny!) and I'm afraid I'll face the same feelings after awhile, but i have to be an RN for a year before I can take on the challenge of doing per diem agency work.

Ever thought of doing something like that? Its easy to get into, and its definitely challenging and, for me, its a lot of fun. =)

Urgh I've been there!! (Btw! Jerk! resident much!) Have you thought about moving departments, or even picking up a shift elsewhere? maybe that will help with your sense of Blah! Nothing like knocking you out of your comfort zone once in a while.

I know this is kind of off topic, but I found your blog by a link on a website I like. I got curious and started to read, and, in all honesty, I was amazed. I'm sorry if it seems odd, but I never really knew that doctors and nurses had to put up with so much crap. You can never really pay attention to everything you see on TV, but you talking about this is like a small lesson on life. You're an excellent writer, excellent at writing what you think and managing it with a flair that is full of personality. I hope you manage to get out of your funk and life picks up a bit for you.

About Me

Obvious Disclaimer

I like my job. I do not want to lose it for violating patient confidentiality. I have a fairly active imagination so altering identifying details is something I enjoy. Everything here is altered to protect patient confidentiality. If you think that a story is referring to you, it’s not. If you think a picture is from your medical exam, it’s not.